Victorian second home an oasis for hectic lives.

By Megan Stacy, Special to the Express-News :
September 2, 2011
: Updated: September 6, 2011 10:48am

The mahogany dining table expands to seat 12. Christine and Rene Salenga moved the antler chandelier from their other home in Katy to this home near King William.

Photo By Jennifer Whitney/special to the Express-News

The front porch of the home of Christine and Rene Salenga.

Photo By Jennifer Whitney/special to the Express-News

The original front door features a vintage stained glass panel.

Photo By Jennifer Whitney/special to the Express-News

Antoher look at the dining room.

Photo By Jennifer Whitney/special to the Express-News

The master bathroom features the original beadboard combined with custom designed tile with yellow accents and high windows for abundant natural light.

Photo By Jennifer Whitney/special to the Express-News

The master bedroom features a sleigh bed and Christine's favorite color, yellow on a combination of vintage and designer bed linens.

Photo By Jennifer Whitney/special to the Express-News

The bead board ceiling, original to the house, and a custom-built island accent the Salengas’ kitchen.

Photo By Jennifer Whitney/special to the Express-News

A high nook in the kitchen displays church figures collected on the couple’s travels to Mexico.

Photo By Jennifer Whitney/special to the Express-News

A side table in the dining room displays a photo of the Salenga's daughter, Daniella, and a St. Francis statue that was a gift from Christine's sister.

Photo By Jennifer Whitney/special to the Express-News

A stained glass piece from an old church found at an architectural salvage draws the eye in the living room of Salengas’ home.

Photo By Jennifer Whitney/special to the Express-News

A second look at the stained glass piece in the living room of Salengas' home.

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House Rules

Flea market finds: Christine Salenga shops flea markets for inexpensive, one-of-a-kind décor. That’s where she collected small, hand-painted pictures of Texas scenes, like bluebonnet fields, which she grouped above the headboard in her son’s bedroom. On a table at the foot of the bed, she stacked a set of vintage school primers, also found at a flea market.

Salvage solutions: The couple shopped at architectural salvage stores to find corbel molding for their dining room and a front door inset with a stained-glass window. Years ago they found an entire framed window with a stained-glass cross that had been salvaged from a church. It now leans against the actual windows in their living room, acting as art and a sun catcher.

Reupholstery rewards: Several chairs in the couple’s home are from thrift stores or hand-me-downs. The couple had them reupholstered, two in cowhide and one with a serape purchased in Mexico. The cost of the labor and fabric was significantly less than the cost of buying new furniture.

Curious quirks: Living in a historic home can mean dealing with its actual history. At some point in time, the Salenga home housed a fireworks distributor, and the couple often will find packages of fireworks samples with their mail. “Our first New Year here we had sparklers, and we didn’t even buy them,” Rene Salenga says.

During the week the couple lead demanding professional lives in the Houston area. Many weekends they downshift by retreating to the Victorian house they own near downtown San Antonio.

But soon, they and their son will live there full-time, bringing the couple back to the city where they grew up. They've designed it as their retirement home and say they are delighted with it.

But that delight wasn't always so mutual.

“It was Rene's dream home but not mine,” Christine says.

When they first saw the house, Rene immediately liked its charming historical details, like pine beadboard ceilings and transom windows, and it's solid craftsmanship.

There was one particular detail that touched both their hearts. The house was on a street with a name similar to that of their daughter Daniella, who died as an infant 16 years ago.

They looked at the house about half a dozen times while on their house hunt, but in Christine's mind it was always the perpetual runner up to other properties.

But while walking in the neighborhood one morning, Christine saw the house with new eyes. That day, she realized how close it was to a vibrant downtown area that would offer her family the walkability and energetic community they wanted.

Once the couple reached an agreement and purchased the home in October 2010, they confronted a whole new challenge.

Their home in Katy has a Southwestern Rustic theme. The couple readily admits the home is “busy,” and for their San Antonio home they wanted something more restful.

So they went shopping, with lots of ideas and enthusiasm.

“We buy what we love,” Christine says. The new house was soon full of silk flowers, nautical knick-knacks, birdcages and lanterns.

With her help, the couple returned much of what they'd bought and took a fresh look at the things in their Katy home.

“Shop your house because you have all the things you love,” Terri says.

The house started to come together. First, the Salengas established a warm, tranquil ambience by painting the interior in a neutral shade with accent walls of yellow, Christine's favorite color.

Into these rooms, they placed a few pieces of the rustic furniture and Southwestern décor they already owned. They paired these with new purchases, such as large mirrors and brightly embroidered draperies.

They controlled the number of items they brought into each room to achieve a serene atmosphere.

In the bedroom, for example, a rustic pine armoire and pine sleigh bed share space with just a few other pieces of furniture. A simple yellow coverlet and embroidered pillowcases add warmth.

“It glows,” Terri says of the room.

In the dining room they also chose a restrained, but lively, décor. They showcased just a few items, including a framed, vintage print of a Mexican advertisement, a carved statue of St. Francis and a wood door painted with a cowboy scene repurposed as a wall hanging. They brought in a deer antler chandelier from their Katy home to hang above a new mahogany dining table.

This table extends to seat a dozen people, more than enough to fit the couple's extended family. The house has quickly become a place for get-togethers. The couple hosted Christmas Eve at the house and celebrated Mother's Day there, complete with a mariachi band.